African savanna elephants in Amboseli, Kenya

Aug 2021

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On my belly, under our safari vehicle, I took this photo on the dry lake bed of Amboseli.

African savanna elephants are the largest terrestrial animal on Earth.  Savanna elephants contribute to the maintenance of the savannas and open woodlands by reducing tree densities. Without them, many other plants and animals would not survive in the woodland areas.

Some of the challenges to the elephant population:  human-wildlife conflict, poaching for ivory, habitat destruction, bushmeat poaching, illegal logging and charcoal production, and infrastructure & development.